Publication Date

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Abstract

The Friends of Blue and Fairview Lake through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program contracted with Portland State University faculty and staff to provide an independent review of the groundwater contamination problem at the Boeing-Cascade site in East Multnomah County. An independent consultant, Karann Brandt, of PRC Environmental Management, Inc., was also assisting the panel with the review.

The region of groundwater contamination is a 2.5 square mile region bounded by NE Halsey Blvd. to the Columbia River and NE 178th to NE 223rd (see Figure 1). The groundwater contamination is primarily of volatile organic compounds (like trichloroethylene or TCE). The approximate plume extent is shown in Figure 2 in one of the principal aquifers, the Troutdale Sandstone Aquifer (TSA).

Since the Interlachen community in the area of Blue and Fairview Lakes uses groundwater as a community water supply and the lakes as a recreation resource, there are concerns that the groundwater contamination could seriously affect the community by contaminating their water supply and surface water bodies (Fairview Lake, Blue Lake, Columbia Slough) in their vicinity. Much work has been accomplished already by responsible parties (Boeing and Cascade Corporations and their conconsultants. The community was able to secure the EPA TAG to provide an independent review of the contamination problem facing their community and to assist the community in understanding the nature of the contamination problem. Issues of concern identified from this review will be recommended for incorporation in the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) final Record of Decision concerning site remediation efforts. This review will help assure remediation strategies that protect groundwater and surface water for the Interlachen community will be pursued by the responsible parties.